This page explains how we research, write, and verify content on Four Legged Guests. We publish our methodology because the value of the content depends on whether you trust the process behind it.
What is our editorial approach?
We write from a research-led editorial perspective rather than claiming first-party hands-on experience we don't have. For hotel pet-policy claims specifically, we verify each hotel against the operator's official site as the authoritative source (where it conflicts with aggregator listings, we trust the official site), and cite the Equality Act 2010 for service-animal language.
For every recommendation, we cite the source: independent published reviews, manufacturer specifications, regulatory filings, peer-reviewed research where relevant. If we can't verify a claim, we either omit it or label it explicitly as speculation.
What will we claim and what will we not claim?
We will cite specific independent reviewers, manufacturer documentation, and primary research where relevant.
We will distinguish between confirmed facts, manufacturer claims, and our editorial inference.
We will update articles when new information lands and note the refresh cadence in the editorial footer.
We will not claim first-party testing or hands-on experience we haven't done.
We will not fabricate statistics, study results, or testimonials.
We will not hide affiliate relationships - every affiliate link is disclosed (see Affiliate Disclosure).
How do we use AI-assisted research?
We use large-language-model tools as part of our research workflow - primarily for summarising published evidence, drafting outlines, and cross-referencing claims against authoritative sources. Final editorial judgment, source verification, and the published prose are human-supervised. See our AI Use Disclosure for the wider position.
What is our source policy?
We rank sources roughly as follows when assessing claims:
- Primary research - peer-reviewed studies, government publications (e.g. .gov.uk, .gov), standards bodies' documentation.
- Manufacturer specifications - product datasheets, official policy pages, regulatory filings.
- Established independent reviewers - long-running outlets with a public editorial methodology of their own.
- Community signal - aggregated patterns from forums, customer reviews, and trade press. Used for triangulation, not as standalone evidence.
Where sources conflict, we surface the conflict explicitly rather than picking the more flattering claim.
How often do we update our content?
Reviews and comparisons are refreshed quarterly or when meaningful new product information lands. Industry-analysis posts refresh on major events (new product launches, regulatory changes). Each article carries its most recent refresh date in the editorial footer.
If you spot a factual error, please flag it via our contact page - we correct quickly and disclose the change.
Related
See also: Editorial Policy, Affiliate Disclosure, AI Use Disclosure, Privacy Policy.
Which primary sources do we cite?
Authority bodies underpinning travel-safety and product-safety claims
Across every page on Four Legged Guests, claims about travel safety, product safety, and dog welfare trace back to public-record authority sources:
- UK Highway Code Rule 57 for in-car restraint requirements
- RSPCA dogs and environment for welfare guidance including the heatstroke risk that drives our 5-to-10-minute unattended-car rule
- Center for Pet Safety for crash-test certification on harnesses and travel boosters
- IATA Live Animals Regulations for airline crate standards on the flying-with-dog content
- British Veterinary Association policy hub for animal welfare policy positions
Where we cite a primary source we link inline so the reader can verify the underlying record.